* BannedInChina: Being labeled as subversive, the book was banned in the colonial UsefulNotes/{{Philippines}}. The CorruptChurch at that time did everything in their power to suppress its publication and distribution. [[MediaNotes/SchoolStudyMedia It is no longer the case in recent times.]]
* [[MissingEpisode Missing Chapter]]: Chapter 25 of the novel (entitled Elias and Salome) was discarded by Rizal either for being deemed irrelevant to the story or to save on printing costs due to a tight budget. In it, Elias talks with his [[StarCrossedLovers Star-Crossed]] LoveInterest who only appears in that chapter. The manuscript was later found, and it is now being included in more recent editions of the novel, like in Philippine National Artist Virgilio S. Almario's Filipino-language translation.
* RoleReprise: Joel Torre (''Film/{{Amigo}}'') played Ibarra in a 1993 miniseries adaptation of the novel, and then in a 1998 EpicFilm biopic of Rizal which interspersed scenes from his life with segments from the novel and its sequel, culminating in Ibarra (or rather, Simoun) [[RageAgainstTheAuthor confronting Rizal in prison the night before he's executed]]. (He also portrayed Rizal himself [[spoiler:or rather [[InsistentTerminology portrayed a mere portrayal of Rizal]]]] in the 1999 lower-budgeted but much more thought-provoking indie film ''Bayaning Third World'' (Third World Hero).)
* StreisandEffect: Naturally, the [[BannedInChina ban]] made more Filipinos much more interested about the book.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The story goes that Rizal threw the manuscript into a fireplace out of despair over the lack of funds to get it published, and/or over the activist cause, etc. but rescued it in time, and later a financial backer stepped in. But the same story is told about the sequel novel.
** Tagalog/Filipino translations (and translations in general) were published only after Rizal's death. But during his lifetime, his older brother Paciano supposedly did a Tagalog translation which Rizal was supposed to have revised and approved, but apparently the manuscript was lost and so this translation has never seen the light of day.
* WriteWhoYouKnow: Most major characters in ''Noli Me Tangere'' (as well as ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'') are based on people Rizal knew. Maria Clara was based on his fiancee Leonor Rivera, and Father Florentino was based on Father Leoncio Lopez, the parish priest of his hometown.
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